Abstract
This study examined the influence of the perceived situational climate on students' implicit theories of ability in physical education (PE) classes. The empirical data stem from a questionnaire survey of ninth grade students conducted in the county of Buskerud in Norway. Canonical correlation, multiple regression and one-way MANOVA analyses revealed a consistent pattern of relationships between the motivational climate in PE as perceived by the students and their implicit theories of ability. A learning environment that is perceived to emphasise competition and social comparison and to raise concern about one's ability seems to induce fixed implicit theories of ability. By contrast, a climate in which effort, progress and teacher support of all students is seen as prevailing seems to generate a theory of ability as expandable and learning induced. Results were interpreted as providing evidence for the importance of a mastery-oriented climate in PE in terms of fostering optimism for learning in school physical education.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Ablard, K. E., & Mills, C. J. (1996). Implicit theories of intelligence and self-perceptions of academically talented adolescents and children. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 25, 137–148.
Almond, L., & Harris, J. (1998). Interventions to promote health-related physical education. In S. Biddle, J. Sallis, & N. Cavill (Eds.), Young and active? (pp. 133–149). London: Health Education Authority.
Ames, C. (1992). Achievement goals, motivational climate and motivational processes. In G. C. Roberts (Ed.), Motivation in sport and exercise (pp. 161–176). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Ames, C., & Archer, J. (1987). Mothers beliefs about the role of ability and effort in school learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 79, 409–414.
Ames, C., & Archer, J. (1988). Achievement goals in the classroom: Students learning strategies and motivational processes. Journal of Educational Psychology, 3, 260–267.
Anderssen, N. (1993). Perception of physical education classes among young adolescents: Do physical education classes provide equal opportunities to all students? Health Education Research, 8, 167–179.
Arnold, P. (1991). The pre-eminence of skills as an educational value in the school curriculum. Quest, 43, 66–77.
Biddle, S., Cury, F., Goudas, M., Sarrazin, P., Famose, J. P., & Durand, M. (1995). Development of scales to measure perceived physical education class climate: A crossnational project. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 65, 341–358.
Biddle, S., Soos. I., & Chatzisarantis, N. (1999). Predicting physical activity intentions using a goal perspectives approach: A study of Hungarian youth. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 9, 353–357.
Bråten, I., & Olaussen, B. S. (1998). The relationship between motivational beliefs and learning strategy use among Norwegian college students. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 23, 182–194.
Carpenter, P. J., & Morgan, K. (1999). Motivational climate, personal goal perspectives, and cognitive and affective responses in physical education classes. European Journal of Physical Education, 4, 31–44.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum.
Diener, C. I., & Dweck, C. S. (1978a). An analysis of learned helplessness: Continuous changes in performance, strategy and achievement cognition following failure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 451–462.
Diener, C. I., & Dweck, C. S. (1978b). An analysis of learned helplessness II: The processing of success. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38, 940–952.
Diggelidis, N., & Papaioannou, A. (1999). Age-group differences in intrinsic motivation, goal orientations and perceptions of athletic competence, physical appearance and motivational climate in Greek physical education. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 9, 375–380.
Dweck, C. (1999). Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality and development. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press.
Dweck, C. S. (1986). Motivational processes affecting learning. American Psychologist, 41, 1040–1048.
Dweck, C. S. (1991). Self-theories and goals: Their role in motivation, personality and development. In R. Diemnstbier (Ed.), Perspectives on motivation: Nebraska Symposium on Motivation 1990 (Vol. 38, pp. 200–235). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
Dweck, C. S., & Leggett, E. L. (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychological Review, 95, 256–273.
Ferrer-Caja, E., & Weiss, M. (2000). Predictors of intrinsic motivation among adolescent students in physical education. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 71, 267–279.
Fox, K. (1997). The physical self and processes in self-esteem development. In K. Fox (Ed.), The physical self: From motivation to well-being (pp. 111–139). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Goudas, M., & Biddle, S. (1994). Perceived motivational climate and intrinsic motivation in school physical education classes. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 9, 241–250.
Hong, Y., Chiu, C., & Dweck, C. S. (1995). Implicit theories of intelligence: Reconsidering the role of confidence in achievement motivation. In M. Kernis (Ed.), Efficacy, agency and self-esteem (pp. 197–216). New York: Plenum Press.
Kasimatis, M., Miller, M., & Marcussen, L. (1996). The effects of implicit theories on exercise motivation. Journal of Research in Personality, 30, 510–516.
Langer, E. J., & Park, K. (1990). Incompetence: A conceptual reconsideration. In R. J. Sternberg & J. Kolligan, Jr. (Eds.), Competence considered (pp. 149–166). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Lee, A. M. (1997). Contributions of research on student thinking in physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 16, 262–277.
Lintunen, T., Valkonen, A., Leskinen, E., & Biddle, S. (1999). Predicting physical activity intentions using a goal perspectives approach: A study of Finnish youth. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 9, 344–352.
Mueller, C. M., & Dweck, C. (1998). Praise for intelligence can undermine children's motivation and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 33–52.
Nicholls, J. (1989). The competitive ethos and democratic education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Ntoumanis, N., & Biddle, S. (1999). A review of motivational climate in physical activity. Journal of Sport Sciences, 17, 643–665.
Ommundsen, Y. (1999). The role of conceptions of ability and implicit theories of ability on perceived competence and self-esteem formation in sport and physical activity. In V. Hosek, P. Tilinger, & L. Bilek (Eds.), Psychology of sport and exercise: Enhancing the quality of life. Procceedings, Part 2 of the 10th European Congress of Sport (pp. 69–71). Prague, Czech Republic: Charles University, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports.
Ommundsen, Y. (2001a). Self-handicapping strategies in physical education classes: The influence of implicit theories of the nature of ability and achievement goal orientations. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 2, 139–156.
Ommundsen, Y. (2001b). Pupils' affective responses in PE: The influence of implicit theories of the nature of ability and achievement goals. European Physical Education Review, 7, 219–240.
Ommundsen, Y., & Bar-Eli, M. (1999). Psychological outcomes: Theories, research, and recommendations for practise. In Y. Van den Auweele, F. Bakker, S. Biddle, M. Durand, & R. Seiler (Eds.), Psychology for physical educators (pp. 73–113). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Ommundsen, Y., & Roberts, G. C. (1999). Effect of motivational climate profiles on motivational indices in team sport. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 9, 389–397.
Ommundsen, Y., Roberts, G. C., & Kavussanu, M. (1998). Perceived motivational climate and cognitive and affective correlates among Norwegian athletes. Journal of Sport Sciences, 16, 153–164.
Papaioannou, A. (1995). Differential perceptual and motivational patterns when different goals are adopted. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 17, 18–34.
Pedhazur, E. (1982). Multiple regression in behavioral research. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Roberts, G. C., Treasure, D., & Kavussanu, M. (1997). Motivation in physical activity contexts: An achievement goal perspective. In M. Maehr (Ed.), Advances in motivation and achievement (Vol. 10, pp. 413–447). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
Robinson, D. W. (1990). An attributional analysis of student demoralization in physical education setting. Quest, 42, 27–39.
Rosenholtz, S. J., & Simpson, C. (1984). The formation of ability conceptions: Developmental trend or social construction? Review of Educational Research, 54, 31–63.
Sarrazin, P., Biddle, S., Famose, J. P., Cury, F., Fox, K., & Durand, M. (1996). Goal orientations and conceptions of the nature of sport ability in children: A social cognitive approach. British Journal of Social Psychology, 35, 399–414.
Seligman, M. E. P. (1975). Helplessness: On depression, development, and death. San Francisco: Freeman.
Seligman, M. E. P. (1990). Learned optimism. New York: Pocket Books.
Skinner, E. A. (1995). Perceived control, motivation and coping: Individual differences and development series (Vol. 8). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Stipek, D., & Gralinski, J. H. (1996). Children's beliefs about intelligence and school performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 397–407.
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (1996). Using multivariate statistics. New York: Harper Collins College Publishers.
Treasure, D., & Roberts, G. C. (2000). Students' perceptions of the motivational climate, achievement beliefs and satisfaction in physical education. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 72, 165–175.
Van Wersch, A., Trew, K., & Turner, I. (1992). Post-primary school pupils' interest in physical education: Age and gender differences. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 62, 56–72.
Weiner, B. (1985). An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion. Psychological Review, 92, 548–573.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ommundsen, Y. Students' Implicit Theories of Ability in Physical Education Classes: The Influence of Motivational Aspects of the Learning Environment. Learning Environments Research 4, 139–158 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012495615828
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012495615828